Early symptoms of encephalitis in 4-year-old children

If a four-year-old child develops encephalitis, it is very harmful to the child. Children of this age group are prone to symptoms of encephalitis. When a child develops encephalitis, it often causes fever, headache, muscle pain, diarrhea and vomiting, and in more severe cases it can cause drowsiness, coma, and convulsions. If the condition is particularly severe, it can cause abnormal behavior, incontinence, etc.

Early symptoms of encephalitis in 4-year-old children

Encephalitis generally refers to viral encephalitis. The key points of diagnosis are whether it is an epidemic season, whether there is a history of contact, whether there are symptoms associated with viral infection, vaccination history, etc. Clinical manifestations are as follows:

1. Children in the prodromal phase have symptoms such as fever, headache, myalgia, vomiting, and diarrhea.

2. The symptoms of encephalitis vary in severity, mainly manifested as neuropsychiatric abnormalities. Manifestations of neurological abnormalities include fever, headache, vomiting, drowsiness, coma, convulsions, etc. In severe cases, abnormal symptoms may occur in the cerebrum, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, brainstem, cerebellum and spinal cord. Mental abnormalities manifest as excitement, talkativeness, irritability, crying and laughing at random, insomnia, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, fantasies, or indifferent expression, silence, decreased activity, refusal to eat, poor orientation, memory loss, incontinence, etc.

3. Associated symptoms: Symptoms of corresponding viral infection occur before or simultaneously with the onset of encephalitis.

Of course, some of the symptoms of meningitis listed above may be difficult to spot in a young baby. You may just notice that your baby is fussy, sleepy, or refuses to eat. He may vomit or have diarrhea, have cold hands and feet, or develop a rash or skin patches on part of his body that turn white or blue. You may also notice that your baby's anterior fontanelle (the soft area on the top of his head) is bulging or hardening.

Meningitis is also contagious

But its chance of infection is relatively low. If your baby has meningitis, family members should pay attention to the isolation and cleanliness of daily necessities, and provide good care for the baby during his illness.

Your baby may also experience difficulty breathing and convulsions. If you suspect your baby may have meningitis, see a doctor right away, whether or not you are sure of your suspicion, as it is vital that meningitis is treated early.